Bank

ABSTRACT

A bank for collecting and safe keeping of coins or currency formed of two hemispherical members whose annular marginal edges are arranged to form a continuous annular gap therebetween when the bank is in the assembled and locked position. Access to the locking means is gained through the annular gap, any portion of which may be employed for inserting coins or even paper currency. Continuous lip means along the adjacent edges serve to prevent the currency from being removed.

States Patet [54] BANK 3,511,433 5/1970 Andrews et a1. 220/4 E [75]Inventor: Jens W. Rolff, Birkeroed, Denmark FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS Assignee: steltloll mc-ggenhageni Great Britain [22] Flled:May 1973 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay [21] Appl. No.1 360,127 AssistantExaminer-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Attorney, Agent, or FirmOstrolenk,Faber, Gerb & 52 us. c1 232/4, 232/6, 1334/11 Sofie [51] Int. Cl A47g29/00 58 Field of Search 232/1, 4, 5, 6; 46/2, 5; [571 ABSTRACT 220/4 4D34/1 A bank for collecting and safe keeping of coins or cur- 24/116 6/107 rency formed of two hemispherical members whose annular marginaledges are arranged to form a contin- References Cited uous annular gaptherebetween when the bank is in UNITED STATES PATENTS the assembled andlocked position. Access to the lock- 1,395,00s 10/1921 Prince 232/4 Ring means is gained through the annular gap, any P 1,476,735 12/1923Stockel 232/4 R tion of which may be employed for inserting coins or 159975 1 192 Hansen 46/2 even paper currency. Continuous lip means alongthe 2,490,482 12/1949. Shackell 206/.82 adjacent edges serve to preventthe currency from 2,539,108 1/1951 Shepherd 16/45 X being removed,2,916,850 12/1959 Vlachos 4-5/2 X 3,040,371 6 1962 Rice et al 16/45 15Clams, 8 Drawmg Flglll'es PATENTED 31974 'snm 20F 2 4 BANK The presentinvention relates to banks and more particularly to a novel, attractiveand yet highly simpilified structure for the collection and safe-keepingof currency while providing an aesthetically appealing and, in fact,somewhat deceptive structure as regards the nature of its primaryfunction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There exists a wide variety of bankstructures adapted for the collection and retention of currency and mostparticularly coins.- Conventional banks are usually provided with a slotfor insertion of currency and a panel or portion thereof containing alock which, when operated to the unlocked position, permits removal orpivotal opening of the panel portion to gain access to the interiorcontents of the bank. Present day banks are also typically constructedin such a manner that the nature of their use is quite evident fromtheir outward appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS A major objective of thepresent invention is to provide a bank structure which does not give theouter appearance of being a bank, which is simple in design and therebyprovides a device suitable for collecting and retaining coins and evenpaper currency with a capability equivalent to that of conventionalbanks, while at the same time providing an interesting and attractiveconversation piece.

The present invention is characterized by being comprised of a pair ofhemispherical-shaped shell members which may be assembled tocooperatively form a hollow spherical shaped shell through suitablejoining means. The hemispherical shaped halves, when assembled, havetheir marginal edges arranged at spaced intervals so as to define acontinuous annular shaped opening suitable for receiving coins and evenpaper currency. The marginal edges of the hemispherical housing halvesare provided with confronting surfaces of a width sufficient to preventcoins from being removed from the bank after having been insertedtherein. v

The outer appearance of the bank structure is such as to completelyconceal the fact that any locking means is provided or for that matterthat the bank may even be opened. In actuality, the locking means iscomprised of telescoping interlocking or cooperating male and femalemembers which interfit with one another. At least one of the members isprovided with a set screw which is manipulated by an elongated key,"-preferably an Allen type wrench, which is inserted through the same gapthrough which coins are inserted in the bank. The smooth lines andsimplicity of the bank are such as to provide an interestingconversation piecewhose identity, i.e., the fact that it is in actualitya bank, is not evident from the superficial appearance thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The above as well as other objects ofthe present invention will become apparent when reading the accompanyingdescription and drawings in which:

FIG. la is an elevational view showing a bank designed in accordancewith the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 1b shows a top view of the assembly of FIG. In;

FIG. 1c shows a plan view of a keyemployed for locking and/or openingthe bank assembly of FIGS. la and lb;

FIG. 1d shows an end view of the keyof FIG. 10;

FIG. 2a shows a side view of another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2b shows a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 20;

FIG. 20 shows the joining means assembly employed in the embodiment ofFIG. 2b in greater detail; and

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a lip portion of the embodiment of FIG.1a, useful in describing one novel feature of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. la and 1b show a bank 10designed in accordance with the principles of the present invention andwhich is comprised of two hemishperical-shaped hollow shells 11 and 12each provided with continuous annular shaped inwardly turned lips 11aand 12a respectively, whose function will become more evident and willbe set forth in detail hereinbelow. Each of the shells is provided withan elongated projection 13 and 14 respectively secured to the innersurfaces of the shells so as to lie substantially along the sphericalaxis represented by phantom line 15. Securement may be provided throughwelding, for example.

Members 13 and 14 are preferably cylindrical in shape and are providedwith male and female joining portions respectively, member 13 beingprovided with a cylindrical projection 13a of reduced diameter relativeto portion 13; a member 14 being provided with a free end portion 14a ofenlarged diameter. Cylindrical portion 14a is provided with an openingof a first diameter 16 which communicates with an opening 17 of reduceddiameter, a portion of which extends into member 14. The bank, whenfully assembled, is shown best in FIG. la wherein the reduced diameterportion 130 extends into opening 17 and a small portion of cylindricalmember 13 extends into opening 16 so that its shoulder 14b abuts againstthe shoulder 16a between opening portions 16 and 17.

Member 14a is provided with a tapped opening 18 arranged substantiallyperpendicular to phantom line 15 and is adapted to receive andthreadedly engage elongated threaded member 19. As can best be seen inFIG. 1a a portion of projection 13a is provided with an annular groove13b of reduced diameter which, when members 13 and 14 are interfitted inthe manner shown in FIG. la is positioned immediately adjacent the lefthand end 19a of threaded set screw"member 19.

The head of threaded member 19 is provided with a diamond-shaped opening19b for receiving one end of a key"20 shown in FIG. 10 which isconventionally re ferred to as an Allenwrench. The-Allen wrenchtypically has a cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 1d whichis diamond-shaped so as tov conform to a similar shaped opening 19bprovided in set screw 19. It should further'be understood that thecross-sectional configuration of key20 may be square shaped, pentagonal,hexagonal and so forth with the opening 19b having a conformingconfiguration.

In order to disassemble the bank, either end or arm 20a or 20b of key20may be inserted into the opening 21 formed between the hemisphericalhalves 11 and 12 so as to be telescopingly received within opening 19bBy twisting or rotating key"20 in the appropriate direction, the end 19aof elongated member 19 is disengaged from the annular shaped groove 13bpermitting the shell halves to be pulled apart. Assembly is performed ina similar manner wherein the two shell halves are aligned and projection13a is inserted into opening 17 until shoulders 14b and 16a abut oneanother. Thereafter key"20 is inserted into gap 21 and into theconforming opening 19b in member 19 after which key20 is rotated ortwisted in the appropriate direction to cause end 19a to engage annularshaped groove 13b and thereby lock the shell halves 11 and 12 to oneanother.

Since the gap 21 is continuous and extends around the entire regiondefined by the marginal portions of shells 11 and 12, coins may beinserted into the bank at any point or location therealong. In additionthereto, paper currency may even be inserted into the bank due to thelengthy perimeter of the bank. In one preferred embodiment the bank hasa diameter of approximately 4 inches so that the circumference of gap Gis of the order of l2-l/2 inches which is clearly sufficient to receivepaper currency if desired. As can be seen, the bank is provided with nostand or support whatsoever and is free to assume any position upon aflat surface. As a practical matter, once coins and/or paper currencyare inserted therein, they will accumulate in a particular locale andthereby serve as a means for preventing the bank from freely rollingupon a flat surface.

The manner in which the coins and/or paper currency are retained withinthe bank can best be understood from a consideration of FIG. 3 whereinthe inwardly turned lips 11a and 12a are shown in detailed fashion.

The length of inwardly turned flanges 11a and 12a is sufficient toprevent coins from being removed from the bank regardless of whatangular position or orientation the bank has held. For example, let itbe assumed that the bank is picked up and held so that the gap 21 shownin FIG. la is aligned so as to be co-planar with an imaginary verticalaxis, hence the alignment shown in FIG. 3. Coins contained within thebank as represented by the dotted line outline C must be aligned so asto be substantially completely parallel with the planes of inwardlyturned flanges 11a and 12a in order to move through the gap in thedirection shown by arrow 22. As a practical matter, regardless of howmuch or how long or how vigorously the bank may be shaken, coins willassume an orientation as shown by the dotted line outline C which isother than parallel in alignment with inwardly turned flanges 11a and120 so that the coin (or coins) will be prohibited from passing throughthe annular gap 21 and hence will be prohibited from being removed fromthe bank.

FIGS. 2a through 20. show still another embodiment of the presentinvention. From a materials view point, the structure of FIGS. and 1b isformed of a metallic material, such as for example stainless steel. Thematerial employed in constructing the bank of FIGS. through 20 is aplastic material. The embodiment of FIGS. 2a through 20 is comprised ofhollow hemispherical shells 31 and 32 which are molded or otherwisemachined so as to be provided with a pair'of hollow cylindrical shapedprojections 33 and 34 respectively, each of which are integrally joinedto the interior surfaces of shells 31 and 32 along the imaginary axis 35as shown best in FIG. 2b The manner in which the two sections are joinedis by means of a joining assembly 36 shown best in FIGS. 2b and 2c whichis comprised of male and female members 37 and 38, respectively. Malemember 37 is provided with a connecting portion 37a having a pluralityof truncated conical shaped portions 37b which are adapted to be forcefitted into the hollow opening 33a provided in tubular projection 33.The lower end of member 37 is provided with a cylindrical shaped flange370 which tapers to form a section 37d of lesser diameter than bothflange 37c and the conical truncated portion 37b. Projecting portion 37dis provided with an annular shaped shallow groove 37c which functions ina manner to be more fully described. Female member 38 is provided with alower portion 38a having a plurality of truncated conical shapedsections 38b similar to the sections 37b of male member 37. Thetruncated conical section 38b forming portion 380 of the female member38 is adapted to be force fitted within the hollow interior 34a oftubular projection 34 forming an integral part of shell 32. Section 380is intergrally joined to a portion 380 having a central opening 38dadapted to receive the portion 37d of member 37. Member 380 ispreferably cylindrical in shape and has an annular flat upper surface38dwhich engages the shoulder 37f of cylindrical shaped flange 370 whenthe parts are properly interfitted.

Member 380 has a cylindrical shaped projection 38g integrally joined tosection 38c and provided with an opening 381: which is aligned with anopening 38] in portion 380 These portions are both threaded as shown at38k to receive an elongated threaded member (not shown for purposes ofsimplicity) which is substantially identical in nature to the member 19shown for example in FIG. lb. The manner of assembly is as follows: 1

Members 37 and 38 are joined to their associated hollow tubularprojections 33 and 34 by force fitting their portions 370 and 38a intothe interior of the hollow tubular shaped projections 33 and 34 in amanner shown best in FIG. 2b Assembly of the two shell halves isobtained by aligning members 37 and 38 so that they lie along the samelongitudinal axis designated by dotted line 35 shown in FIGS. 2b and 2cThe male member 37d is then pressed into female member 38c until theshoulder 37fabuts against surface 38d. In this position the shallowannular shaped groove 37e will be alinged with the co-alinged openings38h and 38j By inserting a key into threaded member 19 in the samemanner as described hereinabove in connnection with FIGS. 1b and 1c thekey must then be twisted or rotated until the end of the threaded memberinserted into and threadedly engaging threaded openings 3811 and 38j isseated in shallow groove 38e thereby preventing the two halves frombeing separated. The force fitting of members 37 and 38 into tubularshaped projections 33 and 34 is siffrcient to prevent their removal dueto the nature of the truncated conical shaped tapering portions 37a and38a respectively.

In order to open the bank, the key member is inserted into thecooperating opening of appropriate conforming shape in member 19 (seeFlG. 1b and the key is then twisted or rotated until the end of themember inserted into the shallow groove is separated herefrom to enablethe two shells to be separated from one another.

Whereas member 19 has been shown as being elongated, it should be notedthat member 19 can be made much shorter so that its end 1% could bearranged for example, to lie at the position 1912' shown in FIG. 1b

In order to open or close the bank assembly utilizing such a shortthreaded member, the arm b of key20 may be that portion of the keyinserted into gap 21 for the purpose of being inserted into opening 19bin order to loosen member 19b and thereby open the bank.

Conversely, the same arrangement may be employed for closing andTockingthe bank.

The components 31 and 32 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b mayseparately be formed through a molding operation. Since it is extremelydifficult to mold a lip of the type shown in 11a and 12a in the bankformed of a metallic material, the marginal portion of shells 31 and 32are molded or otherwise formed so as to have increased thickness Trelative to the thickness T of the remaining portion of the shell asshown best in FIG. 2b Thickness of the confronting marginal portions ischosen so as to be substantially commensurate with the length of the lipor flanges 11a and 12a showing the embodiments of FIGS. 1a and lbWhereas the preferred embodiments teach a spherical shaped bank itshould be understood that other shapes are possible for use withoutdeparting from the significant features of this invention. For example,the shell halves can collectively form other regular or even irregulargeometric figures such as polyhedrons and the like. Also, each shellneed not form exactly one-half of the final shape so that the shells maycollectively form one-third and two-thirds of a sphere for example, solong as the insert gap and inwardly turned flanges and the joining andlocking means are employed.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with apreferred embodiment thereof, many variations and modifications will nowbecome apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore,that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosureherein, but only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for receiving and collecting currency and coins comprising:

first and second shells having concave interior surfaces;

joining means having first and second ends secured to said concaveinterior surfaces of said first and second shells for joining saidshells to form a substantially hollow housing cooperatively defined bysaid first and second shells;

each of said shells having a continuous marginal edge, said edges ofsaid first and second shells being substantially uniformly spaced fromone another when said shells are joined, thereby to define asubstantially continuous and substantially uniform width annular gaptherebetween;

each of said marginal edges having an edge surface of predeterminedwidth, said edge surfaces confronting one another to define said gaptherebetween; the widths of said edge surfaces and the width of said gapbeing selected to cooperate to prevent currency and coins collected insaid housing from being removed therefrom without disassembling saidshells.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said joining means is furthercomprised of an intermediate section defined by first and secondseparable portions adapted to be coupled to one another;

locking means movably joined to one of said sections and adapted to abutthe other of said sections when they coupled to one another for lockingsaid sections to one another and thereby prevent said shells from beingdisassembled.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said locking means has a keyreceiving opening positioned so as to be in alignment with at least aportion of said gap;

key means having an operating handle and an actuating means extendingtherefrom, the free end of said actuating means being insertable throughsaid gap and into said key receiving opening to res ectively move saidlocking means into and out o engagement with said other of said sectionsfor locking and opening said a paratus.

4. The apparatus of c aim 3, wherein said key receiving opening and saidkey actuating means have conforming cross-sectional configurations.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of said sections has aprojecting portion and the other of said sections has an opening adaptedto receive said projecting portion;

said locking means comprising a threaded member threadedly engaging atapped aperture provided in said other section and communicating withsaid opening to enable one end of said threaded member to enter intosaid opening and abut said projecting portion when rotated in a firstdirection to lock the joined sections.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said edge surfaces are eachcomprised of inwardly turned flanges projecting toward the interior ofsaid housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the length of said threaded memberis such as to position the actuating opening a small spaced distanceinwardly of said cooperating edge surfaces.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second shellscollectively define a three-dimensional geometric figure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said geometric figure is a sphere.I

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said projecting portion has anannular groove spaced inwardly from its free end, said groove beingaligned with said tapped aperture when said cooperating sections arejoined so as to receive and be engaged by the adjacent end of saidthreaded member in the locked position and thereby prevent said sectionsfrom being separated.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap is of a width greaterthan the narrowest dimension of coin and currency to be placed in saidhousing and less than the long dimension of that coin and currency.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap and said marginal edgesare continuous around the entirety of both said shells and said housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said width of said surfaces is asubstantial portion of the long dimension of the coin and currency to beplaced in said housmg.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said edge surfaces are eachcomprised of inwardly turned flanges projecting toward the interior ofsaid housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said gap and said marginal edgesare continuous around the entirety of both said shells alldiaidakhOilsilg.

1. Apparatus for receiving and collecting currency and coins comprising:first and second shells having concave interior surfaces; joining meanshaving first and second ends secured to said concave interior surfacesof said first and second shells for joining said shells to form asubstantially hollow housing cooperatively defined by said first andsecond shells; each of said shells having a continuous marginal edge,said edges of said first and second shells being substantially uniformlyspaced from one another when said shells are joined, thereby to define asubstantially continuous and substantially uniform width annular gaptherebetween; each of said marginal edges having an edge surface ofpredetermined width, said edge surfaces confronting one another todefine said gap therebetween; the widths of said edge surfaces and thewidth of said gap being selected to cooperate to prevent currency andcoins collected in said housing from being removed therefrom withoutdisassembling said shells.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidjoining means is further comprised of an intermediate section defined byfirst and second separable portions adapted to be coupled to oneanother; locking means movably joined to one of said sections andadapted to abut the other of said sections when they coupled to oneanother for locking said sections to one another and thereby preventsaid shells from being disassembled.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein said locking means has a key receiving opening positioned so asto be in alignment with at least a portion of said gap; key means havingan operating handle and an actuating means extending therefrom, the freeend of said actuating means being insertable through said gap and intosaid key receiving opening to respectively move said locking means intoand out of engagement with said other of said sections for locking andopening said apparatus.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said keyreceiving opening and said key actuating means have conformingcross-sectional configurations.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein oneof said sections has a projecting portion and the other of said sectionshas an opening adapted to receive said projecting portion; said lockingmeans comprising a threaded member threadedly engaging a tapped apertureprovided in said other section and communicating with said opening toenable one end of said threaded member to enter into said opening andabut said projecting portion when rotated in a first direction to lockthe joiNed sections.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said edgesurfaces are each comprised of inwardly turned flanges projecting towardthe interior of said housing.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein thelength of said threaded member is such as to position the actuatingopening a small spaced distance inwardly of said cooperating edgesurfaces.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and secondshells collectively define a three-dimensional geometric figure.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein said geometric figure is a sphere.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein said projecting portion has an annulargroove spaced inwardly from its free end, said groove being aligned withsaid tapped aperture when said cooperating sections are joined so as toreceive and be engaged by the adjacent end of said threaded member inthe locked position and thereby prevent said sections from beingseparated.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap is of a widthgreater than the narrowest dimension of coin and currency to be placedin said housing and less than the long dimension of that coin andcurrency.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap and saidmarginal edges are continuous around the entirety of both said shellsand said housing.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said width ofsaid surfaces is a substantial portion of the long dimension of the coinand currency to be placed in said housing.
 14. The apparatus of claim13, wherein said edge surfaces are each comprised of inwardly turnedflanges projecting toward the interior of said housing.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein said gap and said marginal edges arecontinuous around the entirety of both said shells and said housing.